Egypt and Crimson Cross be a part of seek for hostage our bodies in Gaza

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Frank Gardner, Safety correspondent , Jerusalem

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/f04a/live/0a6cf540-b286-11f0-8aca-bd97d0c61a73.png.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/f04a/live/0a6cf540-b286-11f0-8aca-bd97d0c61a73.png.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/f04a/live/0a6cf540-b286-11f0-8aca-bd97d0c61a73.png.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/f04a/live/0a6cf540-b286-11f0-8aca-bd97d0c61a73.png.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/f04a/live/0a6cf540-b286-11f0-8aca-bd97d0c61a73.png.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/f04a/live/0a6cf540-b286-11f0-8aca-bd97d0c61a73.png.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/f04a/live/0a6cf540-b286-11f0-8aca-bd97d0c61a73.png.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/f04a/live/0a6cf540-b286-11f0-8aca-bd97d0c61a73.png.webp" loading="eager" alt="EPA/Shutterstock Equipment and personnel under the supervision of the Egyptian committee cross into the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Abu Salem crossing in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip, 25 October 2025." class="sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA"/> EPA/Shutterstock Egyptian gear crosses into the Gaza Strip

Groups from Egypt and the Worldwide Committee of the Crimson Cross (ICRC) have been allowed to seek for our bodies of deceased hostages taken through the 7 October assaults, Israeli authorities have confirmed.

The Israeli authorities stated the groups have been permitted to look past the so-called "yellow line" within the space managed by the Israel Protection Forces (IDF) in Gaza.

Individually on Sunday, Israeli media reported that Hamas members had additionally been allowed to enter the IDF-controlled space of Gaza to help the search, alongside the ICRC groups.

Hamas has transferred 15 out of 28 deceased Israeli hostages below the primary part of a US-brokered ceasefire deal, which requires it at hand over all hostage our bodies. The group stated it's now coordinating with Egyptian authorities.

Donald Trump has warned Hamas to start out return the our bodies "rapidly, or the opposite nations concerned on this nice peace will take motion".

An Israeli spokesperson stated the Egyptian crew has been permitted to work with the ICRC to find the our bodies, and would use excavator machines and vans for the search past the "yellow line".

The "yellow line" marks the boundary operating alongside the north, south and east of Gaza that Israel withdrew to, as a part of the primary stage of the ceasefire deal.

Till now, Israel has not authorized the entry of such groups.

Egypt, together with Qatar and Turkey, is a key signatory of the Trump-brokered Gaza peace plan, which was signed within the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh earlier this month.

The information might be welcomed by kin, determined to provide them a correct burial.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/682f/live/844b0870-b290-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/682f/live/844b0870-b290-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/682f/live/844b0870-b290-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/682f/live/844b0870-b290-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/682f/live/844b0870-b290-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/682f/live/844b0870-b290-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/682f/live/844b0870-b290-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/682f/live/844b0870-b290-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="A map showing the "yellow line" boundary in Gaza" class="sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA"/> The ICRC has already been closely concerned within the return of hostages.

Hamas doesn't hand over its captives - residing or deceased - on to the Israel Protection Forces (IDF), however reasonably to the ICRC, which in flip escorts them by way of Gaza and palms them on to the IDF.

However the arrival of Egyptian excavation groups contained in the Gaza Strip is new.

Watch: Egyptian equipment claws by way of sand in Khan Younis as seek for hostage our bodies continues

After greater than two years of intense bombardment by Israel, the UN estimates that as a lot as 84% of the territory has been diminished to rubble.

Hamas says it's doing its finest to retrieve hostage our bodies, however it faces issue discovering them below rubble of buildings bombed out by the Israeli army in Gaza.

It's now coordinating with the Egyptian authorities.

On Sunday, an Israeli authorities spokesperson stated that Hamas knew the place the our bodies had been.

"If Hamas made extra of an effort, they might be capable of retrieve the stays of our hostages," the spokesperson stated.

Trump posted on his Reality Social platform on Saturday that motion could be taken if the our bodies of the deceased hostages weren't returned rapidly.

"A few of the our bodies are onerous to achieve, however others they will return now and, for some motive, they aren't. Maybe it has do with their disarming," he stated.

Trump added: "Let's have a look at what they do over the following 48 hours. I'm watching this very intently."

On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated Israel would decide which overseas forces it will enable as a part of a deliberate worldwide drive in Gaza to assist safe the ceasefire below Trump's plan.

"We're in charge of our safety, and we now have additionally made it clear concerning worldwide forces that Israel will decide which forces are unacceptable to us, and that is how we function and can proceed to function," he stated talking in the beginning of a cupboard assembly.

On Friday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated "numerous nations" had supplied to be a part of the drive - however added Israel must be comfy with contributors.

This seemed to be a reference to Turkey, amid stories Israel had vetoed the nation's involvement.

It remained unclear, nonetheless, how such a drive may very well be deployed with out an understanding with Hamas.

Israel launched a army marketing campaign in Gaza in response to the 7 October 2023 assault, by which Hamas-led gunmen killed about 1,200 folks and took 251 others as hostages.